While recording an album in 1989, New York City punk band the Rat Bastards imploded due to typical musical differences, and two members, Andy Gortler (guitar, vocals) and Steve Baise (bass, vocals), carried on with the project as the Devil Dogs. Influenced particularly by '60s trash rock (Sonics, Wailers), the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound," and the big New York punk sound of the '70s (Ramones, New York Dolls, Dictators), the Devil Dogs went on to release a slew of LPs, EPs, live albums, and 45s. Gortler originally formed a band called Gilligan's Revenge in the early '80s, which became Token Entry and then Black Train Jack after his departure. Baise played in a New Jersey-based surf/punk combo, PT109, before joining the Rat Bastards. Drummer "Mighty" Joe Vincent, who also played in PT109, joined the group in 1991.-- Matt Carlson

The Blow Up is two parts Seattle noise and one part Austin soul, a burning punk rock cocktail with an acetylene chaser. The band finds inspiration from sources as varied as Black Flag, Wire, The Birthday Party and The Lord High Fixers, and sounds like none, or all of them, depending on your intoxication level. First launching onto the worldwide stage in January 2K, the members of this new sonic collective feature Dave (ex-Gimmicks) on guitar and vocals, Karlis (Tokyo Drifters) on bass and Chris (Inhalants, Young Losers) as the Mexicutioner. Since then the group has been fortunate enough to play with the likes of The Valentine Killers, The Reds, Zeke, The Briefs and The Forty Fives, and has recently recorded with noisemaster Tim Kerr. Gather round children and listen closely: This is stream-of-consciousness Soul Music for tomorrow---hardcore heroics with a Mod veneer and a garage punk snarl.

Released in 2001, Hallelujah Rock 'N' Rollah is the second full-length release by the Flaming Sideburns for Denmark's Bad Afro imprint. As the turn of the millennium revival of garage rock was brewing in Sweden, Finland's Flaming Sideburns were creating a buzz of their own thanks to their raucous, fun, and skintight rock & roll attack that blends the singsongy hip-shaking of the Rolling Stones with the roar of the MC5. The remarkable thing is that the Sideburns manage to avoid sounding overly derivative or stale -- which is clearly no small feat, as evidenced by the current influx of by-the-numbers garage rockers currently boring the jean jackets off of audiences around the world (and that includes Sweden, kids). In 2002, Hallelujah was released Stateside by Jet Set Records under the oh-so-modest title Save Rock 'N' Roll. While that album didn't spark the sort of fever the Hives' did, it certainly kept the flames burning. Although repackaging efforts like this aren't usually worthwhile, Save Rock 'N' Roll proves to be a rare exception as a few of Hallelujah's more lackluster numbers ("Underground Confusion," "Shake In," and "Testify") are traded out for full-on scorchers ("Lonesome Rain," "I'm in the Moon," and "Sweet Sounds of L.U.V.") making it a rock-solid record from start to finish. -- Karen E. Graves

If Primus were more enamored of Steve Albini's '80s noise-rock demigods Big Black than late-era Frank Zappa, or if Sonic Youth had been inspired by Cheap Trick instead of Glenn Branca, they would possibly sound a little like Rockford, Illinois' otherwise unique Heavils. Instead of normal guitars, leaders Mossy Vaughn and Brian Carter play what they call "Meanies," homemade fretless instruments made out of everyday household items like lamps and toilets, outfitted with guitar and bass strings and played with the hands or whatever other implements are lying about. It all sounds impossibly pretentious, but the whiplash beats of a hardcore-savvy rhythm section and the duo's punk-pop-metal songwriting smarts help a lot, as does Steve Albini's typically live-sounding, un-processed production. Carter tends towards the typical Muppet-sounding growled vocals of post-Danzig black metal, which adds to the air of (probably intentional) silliness that prevails throughout this entertaining debut.-- Stewart Mason

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The long-running alternative rock band the Mega City Four had been together for over a decade when they broke up in early 1996. Formed in the mid-'80s in Farmborough, England, the band consisted of guitarist/vocalist Wiz, bassist/vocalist Gerry Bryant, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Danny Brown, and drummer Chris Jones. Aside from the studio LPs Tranzophobia (1989), Who Cares Wins (1990), Terribly Sorry Bob (1991), Sebastopol Rd. (1992), Magic Bullets (1994), and Soulscraper (1996), the band also tallied a live LP, a Peel Sessions disc, and an impressive number of singles. After breaking up, Wiz and Bryant continued playing together in Serpico.

Formed in 1977 the four piece Menace secured their place in Punk folklore with their stunning "GLC” 45 and cemented it with singles like "Screwed Up” and "Last Year’s Youth” – great singalong Punk with a whole lot of attitude.

The Hellacopters were originally a side project for Nicke Andersson (drummer with Swedish death metal gods Entombed) and Dregen (guitarist for fellow scandinavian rockers the Backyard Babies). Their mission was to bring the blinding speed and distortion of Motörhead (with a little punk sensibility thrown in for good measure) to the '90s, and this they did with Supershitty to the Max! Opener "(Gotta Get Some Action) Now!" is simply brilliant, roaring like a Harley down the highway, shredding eardrums along the way. Though the pace abates somewhat three songs in, the distortion is on 11 throughout the record, yielding other gems such as "Fire Fire Fire" and "Tab." And the band prove they're hardcore by putting a bonus track on the vinyl edition rather than the CD.-- Eduardo Rivadavia

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The Adverts were an English punk rock band who formed in 1976 and broke up in 1979. They are mainly remembered for their singles "One Chord Wonders" and "Gary Gilmore's Eyes", as well as being one of the first English punk bands to prominently feature a female member. "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" reached the UK Top 40 in August 1977.

Discharge was formed in 1977 in Stoke-on-Trent by Ivan Rivera (vocals) and Roy "Rainy" Wainwright (guitar). They soon recruited Terry's younger brother Tony "Bones" Roberts on lead guitar, Nigel Bamford on bass and Tony "Akko" Axon on drums. Engaging Tanya Rich as their manager, led to the band recording their first demo, and saw them supporting bands such as The Ruts, The Clash and The Damned at The Victoria Hall, Hanley. Tanya then 'badgered' Mike Stone to visit them in rehearsals, and to eventually signing the band to Clay Records. (Realities of War is 'Dedicated to Tanya' next to the label.) After arranging their first tour to Scotland (Paisley) and other parts of Northern England, Tanya left the band as Kelvin wanted to manage them himself. This line-up recorded a demo in 1977.

tracks: REALITIES OF WAR / THEY DECLARE IT / BUT AFTER THE GIG / SOCIETY'S VICTIM / FIGHT BACK / WAR'S NO FAIRYTALE / ALWAYS RESTRICTIONS / YOU TAKE PART IN CREATING THIS SYSTEM / RELIGION INSTIGATES / DECONTROL / IT'S NOT TV SKETCH / TOMORROW BELONG TO US / NEVER AGAIN / DEATH DEALERS / TWO MONSTEROUS NUCLEAR STOCKPILES / STATE VIOLENCE STATE CONTROL / DOOM'S DAY / WARNING / WHERE THIS IS A WILL / IN DEFENCE OF OUR FUTURE / ANGER BURNING / THE PRICE OF SILENCE / BORN TO DIE IN THE GUTTER / THE MORE I SEE YOU / PROTEST AND SURVIVE / IGNORANCE / NO COMPROMISE.

tracks: START / PRIDE AND PREJUDICE / SEVERE ATTACK OF THE TRUTH / PAPER TIGER / JANUARY / 21 AGAIN / ON ANOTHER PLANET / THINGS I NEVER SAID / NEW YEARS DAY / OCCUPATION / ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS / PROMISE / WHAT YOU'VE GOT / STUPID WAY TO DIE.

Big DRILL Car has been crankin' out treacherous pop tunes for the past two years around Southern California and on the tour grind throughout Canada and the United States. Frank Daly's throat swirls 'round Mark Arnold's slicing steel notes as the rhythms of Bob Thomson (bass) and Danny Marcroft (drums) bust the attack wide open.Carl Darling of the Orange County Register dubbed Big DRILL Car as; "One of the best bands in Orange County." Album/Tape/CD Type Thing is going to broaden Big DRILL Car's territory by quite a few thousand miles.

Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band, formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter-guitarist Steve Diggle.A fascinating semi-legitimate release of all the studio work the Howard Devoto-fronted band recorded in Manchester in October 1976. This is an expensive disc that only clocks in at 24 minutes, but it's 24 pretty great minutes. Some of the material (e.g., the cover of Captain Beefheart's "I Love You, You Big Dummy") Devoto took with him to Magazine, but the rest of the material is prime Buzzcocks: "Orgasm Addict," "Breakdown," and "Boredom" to name but a few. With Devoto singing lead, the band sound a bit more Sex Pistols-ish (something that would change when Shelley took over singing lead), and, therefore, a tad more ominous.

The Gun Club were a rock band from Los Angeles in the 1980s and 90s, led by the flamboyant singer, ex-rock critic and Blondie fan Jeffrey Lee Pierce. They were one of the first bands to blend punk with blues, country, and other American roots musics. Noisy and intricate, Divinity ranks among the Gun Club's most ambitious efforts; however, the dissonant production often tends to muddy Jeffrey Lee Pierce's songs, which, conversely, are some of his most simple and straightforward.

Combat 84 were an English Oi! band active during the early 1980s. Formed in 1981 in Chelsea, London by skinheads 'Chubby' Chris Henderson and 'Deptford' John Armitage, Combat 84 rose to national prominence after being featured in a controversial 1982 BBC Arena documentary about the skinhead movement.

999 are an English punk rock/rock band, formed in London in December, 1976.[5] From the period of 1976 to 1985, the lineup of 999 consisted of Nick Cash (vocals, guitar), Guy Days (lead guitar), Jon Watson (bass) and Pablo LaBrittain (drums). (As a result of injuries sustained in a motor accident, LaBrittain was temporarily replaced by drummer Ed Case in 1980.) Jon Watson left the band in 1985; being replaced by Danny Palmer, who remained with the band until 1991. Palmer was replaced by Arturo Bassick, who remains the bass player with 999 to this date.Between 1978 and 2007, 999 released fourteen singles and twelve studio albums. Five of the singles released by 999 between 1978 and 1981 charted within the Top 75 in the UK Singles Chart, with one further single released by 999 in 1978, Homicide, charting within the Top 40. In addition, as a result of extensive touring in the United States in the early 1980s, the band's third and fourth studio albums: The Biggest Prize in Sport and Concrete, each charted on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Antidote were one of those early NYHC bands who put one stellar single and then disappeared, leaving the glory to a drove of less dazzling acts. Their "Thou Shalt Not Kill" EP was self-released in 1983. The drummer, Arthur "Googy", had played with the Misfits, and John "Bloodclot" Joseph does back-up vocals on the song "Real Deal," but this is actually an early NYC band that is important for the music and not the scenesters who were in it. Led by guitar player Robb "Nunzio" Antidote got back together in the late 80's/early 90's, changed music direction and put out a full-length record "Return 2 Burn", but the magic of that early line-up was lost. A bit of trivia about "later" Antidote: their 84-91 singer, Drew Stone, who's originally from New York City, played in the early Boston hardcore band The Mighty CO's and later upon returning to NYC was in a band called The High and The Mighty. He's now an award winning film Producer / Director. 2001 saw the archive release of "The A7 & And Beyond" which was culled from material from the early '80's and revived interest in the band. In 2008 / 09 the band reunited to play three well received "Reunion" shows focusing on early Antidote / The High & The Mighty material from the early 1980's culminating with a final show in NYC with Agnostic Front.

TRACKS: LIFE IS ONE / NAZI YOUTH / REAL DEAL / FOREIGN JOB LOT / ZERO MENTALITY / GOT ME ON THE LINE / DIE AT WAR / SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.

Formerly known as Amonal, Spanish five-piece rock act Soziedad Alkoholika got involved in the Basque scene by the end of the 1980s, making its debut with the release of a demo called Intoxicación Etílica in 1990, followed by a self-titled album and an EP called Feliz Falsedad, released in 1992. A year later, the band started a small venues tour, successfully playing in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, and France. In 1995 the group founded its own record label Mil a Gritos, issuing Ratas that same year. By the end of 1998, Soziedad Alkoholika recorded three performances, issuing a live record called Directo in 1999, followed by 2000's Polvo en Los Ojos. -- Drago Bonacich

“Welcome to Maryland” is a mixed bag sui generis. Combining seemingly simplistic harmonic structures, heavily relying on the great voices of the lads (Bassist and mastermind Matt Riedl and drummer Gerry Rolfe; Lou Gigger hits the 6 strings of mayhem and destruction) with short outbursts of Hardcore-speed, without ever sliding into the lands of Hardcore. This LP has been freaking me out since I first bought it and it’s always been a divider: Few would get infected by it, most would ignore it, except maybe for the fast songs (like the overwhelming “Over my dead Body”). I’m not sure, and I’d love to hear about that from one of the band members if they ever come across this, whether I’m right or not decoding the whole concept of this as pure lustful irony, making around with styles, throwing it all together and just enjoying themselves delivering the goods. Every song comes off so lighthandedly, as if it was nothing, giving the album a phenomenal easy yet sad atmosphere. THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS would always come to my mind when trying to describe BRAILLE PARTY. Of course, a slight psyched 60s surf feeling gets through too. Bloody hell!So if yer into HC, dude, don’t download the full LP here. For the sake of learning something from this site, give it a few spins, will ya, maybe starting with the B-side songs which are a bit faster generally. And don’t let the first and arguably weakest song, “Welcome to Maryland”, discourage you. “We must think of Sysphus as a happy man”, you know.

Beefeater played their first show in the summer of 1984 at Washington DC's Food for Thought. The band mixed punk with funk and jazz, and Tomas Squip's lyrics dealt explicitly with politics and spirituality. The combination of Beefeater's pointed approach with Rites of Spring's intensity became the inspiration for much of the music that would come out of the Washington punk scene for years to come, even if it sometimes arrived in reactionary form. Beefeater released two albums on Dischord Records, "Plays for Lovers" (1985) and "House Burning Down" (1987), both of which were combined on a single Dischord CD in 1992.

For Never Breathe What You Can't See, Jello Biafra has stowed his spoken word pulpit behind the enormous amplifiers of the Melvins. But his reinsertion as a frontman hasn't dulled his political haranguing or biting cynicism -- on the contrary, it seems to have invigorated him. With Buzz Osborne's guitar walking point, the Melvins deploy a hybrid of full-bore Dead Kennedys revivalism and their own brand of sludgy metal. Their fans might wish for a little more of the latter, as the white phosphorous punk/hardcore screeds outweigh the more purely Melvins moments. Still, Osborne does unleash a particularly sticky, damaged blues guitar line on "Caped Crusader," and there are pieces of the Melvins' signature sound glued cleverly to the beginnings, middles, and ends of all the material on What You Can't See. (The insane, cackling closer, "Dawn of the Locusts," will be another highlight for Melvins diehards.) And mostly it's just fun to hear the band matching Biafra's bellyful of strident vocals with wrangling, explosive riffs that could have been written in the Reagan era. "Thank you Osama/You are the savior of our economy today," Biafra spits over the rumbling bass of "McGruff the Crime Dog," taking governmental war hawks to task. "The Lighter Side of Global Terrorism" begins as a Melvins slow-burn rager before dropping into a classic Kennedys stance; this time around, Biafra imagines the world through the eyes of a fetishistic airport screener. The darkly wry "Plethysmograph" and self-explanatory "Yuppie Cadillac" are also standouts. What you see is what you get with What You Can't See; it's only the latest platform for Biafra's fiery partisan politicking. But it's also an interesting collaboration between veteran musical iconoclasts.-- Johnny Loftus

TRACKS1.plethysmograph2.mcgruff the crime dog3.yuppie cadillac4.islamic bomb5.the lighter side of global terrorism6.caped crusader7.enchanted thoughtfist8.dawn of the locusts

The Exploited remain a battered but unbowed street punk tradition. together (with various lineups) for decades, the band has given angry voice to the U.K.'s disenfranchised working poor, and traces of their rusty buzz saw sound can be heard in huge acts throughout the worlds of punk and metal such as Slayer, Rancid, and Metallica. A reissue of their 1992 (mostly) live album, DON'T FORGET THE CHAOS captures all of the madness and fury of the band in their obnoxious prime, between 1983 and '84. The lo-fi live quality of the recording fits the raw blasts of noise like a worn leather coat, and classic anti-authority rants such as "Let's Start a War," "Anarchy," and "Punk's Not Dead" sound as they should without glossy production or unnecessary adornment. Listeners who aren't used to uncompromising street punk may not know what to do with DON'T FORGET THE CHAOS, but fans will treasure this deluxe addition of an essential punk document.-- Rovi

Compiling tracks from the Fuzztones' career since 1980, FLASHBACKS has all the essential cuts and more. Rudi Protudi and gang rock their own style of ghoulish retro garage psychedelia on classics "Strychnine," a song they've made their own, and Davie Allan's "Blues Theme." Several Fuzztones originals also grace this compilation, including "Ward 81," and the Doors-y "All the King's Horses.Perhaps the most interesting track is a rare recording of the Cult's Ian Astbury joining Protrudi and the boys in a rendition of the Stooges' classic "Down on the Street." FLASHBACKS is an excellent introduction to the Fuzztones' music, covering nearly two decades, with a good selection of favorites and rarities.22 scorching, vox-driven cuts from the early 80's garage kings who rode the crest of the 60's garage revival wave. Their albums have been long out of print, and this is the first CD to be released. The 20-page booklet includes liner notes by band leader Rudi Protrudi. 1997 Sundazed release.

The production leaves much to be desired with its tinny-sounding drums, but, fortunately, the negatives don't outweigh the positives on this album. Guitarist/vocalist Greg Sage writes fairly simplistic songs with power chords, but each melody infects your brain like a fever. Even though Sage is from Oregon, he sings in a New York-style slur not dissimilar to Joey Ramone. Throughout the album, there is a very dark and ominous feel to the material (e.g., "D-7"), but it's made interesting on tracks like "Alien Boy," which changes from 4/4 time to 2/4 time. Sage also has a unique guitar style where he strums chords and lets them sustain into feedback, which creates rich textures in the songs (e.g., "Potential Suicide" and "Don't Know What I Am"). -- Stephen Howell

TRACKS1.RETURN OF THE RAT2.MYSTERY3.UP FRONT4.LET'S GO LET'S GO AWAY5.IS THIS REAL6.TRAGEDY7.ALIEN BOY8.D-79.POTENTIAL SUICIDE10.DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM11.WINDOW SHOP FOR LOVE12.WAIT A MINUTE13.IMAGE OF MAN14.TELEPATHIC LOVE15.VOICES IN THE RAIN

Formerly known as Amonal, Spanish five-piece rock act Soziedad Alkoholika got involved in the Basque scene by the end of the 1980s, making its debut with the release of a demo called Intoxicación Etílica in 1990, followed by a self-titled album and an EP called Feliz Falsedad, released in 1992. A year later, the band started a small venues tour, successfully playing in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, and France. In 1995 the group founded its own record label Mil a Gritos, issuing Ratas that same year. By the end of 1998, Soziedad Alkoholika recorded three performances, issuing a live record called Directo in 1999, followed by 2000's Polvo en Los Ojos. -- Drago Bonacich

Thursday, January 03, 2013

Scaring the country folks of Memphis with their brand of sleazy raunch and roll since their 1995 debut album Soul Food, the Oblivians refuse to mold into stereotype of three piece ensembles sounding "wimpy" or "watered down." Instead, the Oblivians pay tribute to the Ramones, the Sonics and the Stooges by creating their own sound of nostalgic '60s garage punk with their use of lo-fi equipment. Following Soul Food the next year was a live studio collection entitled Sympathy Sessions and their second album Popular Favorites. Continuing on with their unorthodox method of two guitars, drums and a bass-less line-up was their collaboration with keyboardist Mr. Quintron appropriately titled Play Nine Songs with Mr. Quintron in 1997. It was the group's last studio set, as Greg Oblivian and Jack Oblivian chose to reform their earlier band, The Compulsive Gamblers; Sympathy for the Record Industry released an official non-Crypt best-of in 1999 called The Best of the Worst 93-97; Melissa's Garage Revisited followed a year later. - Mike DaRonco

TRACKS>> FEEL ALRIGHT - LIVE THE LIFE - I MAY BE GONE - I DON'T WANNA LIVE ALONE - FINAL STRETCH - WHAT'S THE MATTER NOW - RIDE THAT TRAIN - IF MOTHER KNEW - MARY LOU.

As part of the original punk rock movement in England during the mid-'70s, the U.K. Subs scored several hit singles in their homeland, switching between politically charged material and party-hearty rockers. Led by singer Charlie Harper (who previously fronted a R&B outfit called the Marauders), the U.K. Subs formed in November of 1976, after Harper discovered the Damned. Originally called the Subversives before shortening their name, Harper recruited guitarist Nicky Garratt, bassist Steve Slack, and a revolving door of drummers (eventually finding a semi-permanent member with Pete Davis), and soon after began plotting their plan of attack from Harper's place of business, a hairdressing salon in South London. Around this time, the up-and-coming group recorded a live set at the infamous punk club the Roxy (just prior to its closing), with hopes of the recording being issued as their debut album. Although the recording did indeed go down, the tapes sat on a shelf for several years, before eventually being issued in 1980 under the title of Live Kicks. This led to several John Peel sessions on BBC Radio One in 1977 and 1978, and eventually, a recording contract with the GEM record label, and what's often considered to be their finest recording, their 1979 full-length debut, Another Kind of Blues.-- Greg Prato

TRACKS>> YOU DON'T BELONG - SO WHAT - CONFRONTATION - FATAL - TIME AND MATTER - VIOLENT CITY - TOO TIRED - PARTY IN PARIS - GANGSTER - FACE THE MACHINE - NEW ORDER - JUST ANOTHER JUNGLE - COLLISION CULT - PARTY IN PARIS (SINGLE VERSION) - FALL OF THE EMPIRE - KEEP ON RUNNING ('TILL YOU BURN) - PERFECT GIRL - ICE AGE - PARTY IN PARIS (FRENCH VERSION).